Fiona Finch

He may be more used to looking after people, but when he spotted a rucksack with a life of its own, he went to investigate and saved five abandoned kittens.

Chorley based paramedics Mike Diskin (left) and Steve Doheny with the rescued kittens

Now he is sharing a photo of the kittens and the rucksack in a bid to help identify whoever abandoned them.

Mike, who is based at Chorley ambulance station, explained he had been parked up on stand-by on Butterworth Brow, near Parklands School in the town ata round 10.15am this morning, when he noticed the bag,which had been dumped in a hedgerow, was moving.

He said: “I saw something moving and got out of the car. I knew something was alive but I couldn’t see the kittens until I unzipped the bag. They were wet and cold.I rushed them back to base. I just wanted to get them somewhere warm.”

He stressed: “I do not want to be hailed a hero. It would be nice to track down whoever dumped that bag and publicly shame them."

This rucksack contained five kittens. It was dumped in Chorley this morning.

As our photos show the kittens have been made very welcome in their temporary new home. Mike said: “They are stunning little rascals. We’ve got two tabbies, two tortoiseshells and a black and white. They are weaned. I’m guessing they are about six weeks old.”

Mike, 57, has two rescue cats of his own, Milo and Merlin, which were rescued from a shed in Liverpool. He said his girlfriend, who gave him the duo as a present, is keen to keep the new arrivals too.

Station colleagues were also delighted to welcome the new “crew” and Mike said: “They are being very well looked after. I think the kittens would like to stay here to be honest.”

However that was one wish which could not be granted as three have already been offered homes by ambulance service staff and a representative from Southport based cat rescue organisation Alley Cats and Kittens was due to pick the others up from the station later today.

There's no place like home- even if it is a temporary abode at Chorley ambulance station